Easter doesn't have to be a diet disaster

(HealthDay)—Lots of chocolate and big family meals can make Easter a challenging time for people trying to control their weight.

But there are a number of ways to guard your health and enjoy this time of year, according to the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

Instead of buying a large chocolate bunny or egg for Sunday, choose smaller chocolate Easter eggs. The calories in six mini eggs can be walked off in 40 minutes, while it takes nearly two hours of walking to burn off the calories in a 3.5-ounce chocolate bunny.

Don't buy Easter treats too early. If you purchase them closer to the holiday, you'll be less likely to eat them.

A fun activity for kids and adults alike is dying and decorating hard-boiled eggs.

Encourage everyone to be active during the holiday. Take a walk on Easter morning. Or, have egg and spoon races and an egg hunt. For the egg hunt, you can use non-candy prizes, such as small toys or decorated hard-boiled eggs.